Hello, I want to thank each and every one of the community members for letting me be here. I have been a leader since 1979. I first became a councilor in 1979-1982, I returned in 1985-1990. Owned my own business for 10 years and came back to council in 2000-2002. I took a year off and came back in 2004 until present. I want to thank all the community members. If it was not for the community, I would not be here to lead with them. My previous work history is as a heavy equipment operator, run machines, logging, seismic, housing renovations, and I also worked for an outside contractor.

My short term goals are to help each other, to respect each other, and to communicate with each other. My long term goals are to build our community with respect, to work with our people, to get them to set goals, to help them to work together as a community and to teach them their culture and ceremonies so we do not lose them. I believe O’Chiese successes are that we work together, have unity, and we find more money and build more. The best thing about working for O’Chiese is our achievements, the leaders, the culture, the management and our cooperation. The leadership is working together as a leadership and each program works together because we are here to help. My wish for O’Chiese is to build our community with unity and for the youth to understand that they can achieve and get an education because in the future, they will be the role models.

My hobbies are Pow-wows. Culture is an important part of my life and who I am. I was taught my culture that includes the way of life and to keep teaching that way of life, the culture. I am inspired by my father and mother. I would not be here if it was not for my mother and now I am doing work for the people because my parents brought me here. My biggest support is my leaders, the Chief and Council. My wish for the elders is teaching: to see the elders teaching their wisdom and to explain about their guidance and their experiences. What they know as elders can support and help our people and the youth. My wish for the children is to learn, obtain, and continue with their education. My wish is for the children to learn both sides of the language, and to use ours more often and to respect the elderly people.

My overall message to the community is “we can build a community with unity, and build united leaders. We can continue working with the elderly people as the elders bring us strength to support and communicate with each other!”

I want to thank each program, the elders for their prayers and their guidance and for the elders to pray and give us strong minds and we will not forget them. I want to thank the children, the youths and I hope they could understand and not look behind but to look forward to the future and to be stronger to build unity, to help each other and communicate. I want to thank my wife that raised all my children. If it wasn’t for my wife, I would not have my kids. We have four girls and four boys, although we lost one son. My grandkids: I love my grandkids and I have two great-grand kids; a boy and a girl. I love them all!

Respectfully, Councilor Martin Ironbow

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